Lonely to With Him Only
by eleonorejune
Summary: "With him, the obvious seems to be unnoticeable." Clary, a lonely high schooler with a flare for art, finds herself meeting her long lost best friend after 8 years. Jace, a wild boy, moves to a new town, looking for a next future. What happens next? Will their friendship flourish, or will things get out of hand? Clace. ::All Human/AU/OOC::
1. Apples

**Chapter 1:**

 _Apples_

At first, I thought that once I'd be in high school, things would be better for me. I was downright wrong to the core. Like, couldn't-be-any-wronger-than-that wrong.

 _Ninety-nine percent of the student body still had no clue I existed._

Apart from those bullies, and the teachers who barely interact with the small redhead in the very back row. I am an outcast. A loner. Or a _loony_. I was alone. The last person who I had actually been close enough with to call a "good friend", was Jace Wayland. Last time I've seen him was in third grade. We all need to put the past behind, though.

Now, in high school, being popular was _dire_. The popularity chart is like an apple tree. The bottom apples end up being picked on (or from) the most, or just end up rotting away, decomposing. I'm probably living on the small thread I call life, or my stem. As you climb higher in the tree, the apples are flourishing, shining, until you reach the perfect ones. Nobody dares to climb that high and mess with them.

That was my life. Being an apple. Or a redhead.

Part of me has always wished I could just sleep on it, and wake up to being Seelie, or even Kaelie. I just had to have my name end with an _y_ when it could be Clar _ie_. Instant popularity. Damn it.

But one part of me has always loved being invisible, just to be able to not get myself in gossip problems. I doubt that will ever last long, until somebody pops my alone bubble and I'll be open to all the diva and jerk world. Let's hope that never happens.

But the moment I walked through the two entrance doors, I knew something was up. People were quiet, a small buzz roaming around the small groups of students. Girls giggling. A new boy, I guessed, irrelevant.

But what I didn't know was how this one boy would change my entire future in less than a second.

How _relevant_ he actually is, until I saw them walking down the hallway, striding with confidence.

Jace Wayland.

* * *

I immediately slumped against the closest beige locker. Jace _Freaking_ -Wayland. How I recognized him, frankly, I don't know. But one thing for sure, that golden, light blonde hair could never be mistaken, never.

My heart beated in my chest like a hawk flapping its wings in its small cage, wanting to claw itself out. I turned and kept my head down, quickly hurrying to my locker. For some reason, he couldn't see me. I wouldn't allow it.

 _Besides, he wouldn't even recognize me... Right? What if he did? What would become of me? Nobody could recognize someone after_ eight _years._

I opened it in a hurry, quickly swiping my hands over all my books, collecting those I needed. I repeated my classes for the first 3 periods so I could get Jace out of my head. Why was this such a big deal anyways? It's _just_ Jace. Thoughts warped through my mind like a Star-Trek shuttle.

When I was done, I almost ran to my homeroom. There was a 50% chance he would be in it, considering the two junior classes.

I sat down in the seat farthest from the board and other occupied desks. I shuddered and quietly slammed all my books on the top. I pulled out a scrap piece of shriveled paper to doodle.

After mindless seconds of dreaming, I had created a small tree, an apple tree I presumed. What struck me though, was the top apple drawn with a light _J_ in it. I glanced down towards it's roots. There lay a rotting apple, where _C_ was scribbled on.

 _That's probably how it's gonna be,_ I thought.

I erased the drawing before crumpling the paper in a ball. I walked over to the recycling bin and threw it in. I didn't even earn one glance, even considering the racket I had created as the small blue bin wobbled on its tiny rectangle axis.

As I made my way back to my seat, I shot a look to the door. One minute left until the bell rang. If Jace was _hypothetically_ to be in my class, he would already be here. I settled into my small blue chair, reassuring myself that I wouldn't have any issues for the rest of the year as long as he wasn't in my class.

I looked at the clock, the teacher would be here right now, normally. Just _ten_ seconds before the bell rang, she walked in. But she wasn't alone.

One specific blonde student step into the class, golden hair slightly disheveled, golden eyes sparkling like small suns, and muscular, tattooed arms gripped a couple of books to a black shirt-covered chest.

Oh. Wonderful. Jace Wayland was in my class.

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**

Chapter one is heere! I hope you like it! I will regularly update & if you find any errors or issues, tell me! See you next time!

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	2. Emerald Green Eyes

❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you all for the reviews! It means so much that you guys took your time to review, favorite and follow! On with the show.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments. Only the plot.

 **Chapter 2:**

 _Emerald Green Eyes_

I needed a new change of scenery.

New York was ruining me, and I can't handle it anymore. I had to get away. And so I did.

I went back to where I had the most memories.

Where my childhood was based.

Where my last real friend was.

I need to move on from all the horrible things I did. I know I will never have a white, shining, new clean slate. But we have to start somewhere, right?

Now, I was enrolled in a public high school for the next two years. There is no going back. I came here to think about my future. No need to look back at the past. That's not where I'm going.

Walking through the hallways of my new school, I felt gazes on me, plastering to my body as I strode down the hall with Ms. Belcourt **(Yes, Camille will be older, and have a different appearance in this.)** in tow. Girls giggled and pointed, boys murmured, and lockers slammed.

A pretty blonde girl smiled and looked at me, and twirled her hair. I winked at her, earning a blush and a quick giggle. I grinned before walking off. _Yup, still got the charm._

"This is your homeroom," Ms. Belcourt squeaked. Her little brown curls hung around her plump face, and her tiny hazel eyes sparkled. "If you need my help, my office is right next door! Oh and, for the lockers, choose one and use this lock."

She passed me a black lock, and handed me the small paper containing the combination. She smiled before trotting away in her small, old fashioned pink heels. She scolded a couple of students who were swearing loudly, telling them to "behave and set a better example for the other students without using vulgar language".

I found myself a small beige locker without a lock. I neatly set the books I didn't need in it. People still watched me, eyes running over me as if I was on display. Mostly girls, I noticed. I scoffed, _I know I'm beautiful._

I gazed around, finally remembering I had to be in homeroom soon. I saw a teacher strutting down towards the class. She noticed me and frowned, making her way over.

"Mr. Wayland, is it?" She asked, and I nodded in response. "Wonderful! I'm your homeroom teacher. So you're new to Abraham Lincoln High School? Even better! I'll be sure to have a student show you around," she droned on. "Well, we're going to be late! Let us go," she added, leading me towards my class.

We entered, and I felt several eyes on me. I looked around the room. There was the same blonde girl from the hallway, with a couple of brunettes, looking at me and whispering. I smirked in her direction, she seemed like she would be fun to mess around with.

I threw my black backpack over my shoulder and made my way towards a middle row, where an empty seat was.

I nodded at my neighbors, introducing myself. I turned around, wanting to say hello to the person behind me, but a girl with two long red braids was slumped in her chair, strands of crimson red hair covering her pale face. She was looking at her hands and the desk.

While all our neighbors were talking, the girl and I were the only two silent people.

"Hey," I muttered to her. She jumped, her head raising quickly, emerald green eyes, as wide as watermelons. Her thin, pink lips were slightly opened, and she suddenly started blushing. She seemed to study me. She was _clearly_ surprised that I had talked to her.

"Hi," she mumbled and looked down before opening her notebook, revealing pages of writing, the rims of the paper bordered with small drawings. I leaned closer to get a better look, but she quickly pulled it down on her lap. "Um, class is about to start," she peeked at me beneath her long black eyelashes. I nodded, throwing one more glance at her before turning back to my desk.

The teacher started rambling the moment she opened her mouth, and everybody seemed to know the drill. Heads were propped up on hands, elbows on desks. Eyelids were lowered, clearly expressing boredom.

After five minutes, the teacher announced there was going to be a small project to get to know are other classmates, as they were only one week into the school year. She said something about partners. She pronounced a couple of names before I heard mine.

"Wayland, with... Hm... Fray?" I heard a loud rustle behind me, and I glanced behind me to find the redhead girl quickly collecting scattered papers that had fallen all around her chair. She gathered them in record time and stuffed them in a black folder.

Nobody seemed to have heard anything at all, not one glance towards her. _As if everyone was ignoring her, or didn't even realize she was in their class._

I turned around to look at her. She forced a smile, I noticed. Something about her was off.

"Jace," I said, smiling at her. Her eyes were full of all kinds of emotions. Anger, confusion, sadness and regret all mixed.

"Clary," she mumbled, grabbing a blue pen out of her dark green pencil case. I suddenly realized I didn't have one, or any writing tools at all. I looked in my backpack, pushing books from side to side, searching for a pencil. When Clary finally noticed my struggle, she sent me a sympathetic smile.

"Need a pen?" She asked, her voice light. She took out a mechanical pencil and extended it out towards me. When I gripped it, our fingers brushed, making me shiver.

I glanced up at her emerald eyes, as they pulled me deeper and _deeper_ into her mysterious personality.

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Enjoyed it? Thanks for reading! Be sure to review to tell me what you're interested in seeing! If there are any errors, don't hesitate to tell me! Thanks :)

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	3. Waiting by the Willows

❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed the story! It means so much to me. Let me keep this short. On we go.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the Mortal Instruments.

 **Chapter 3:**

 _Waiting by the willows_

I shuddered at his touch. It felt so _familiar_ , yet so distant. I breathed in.

"We should get on this," I said, my voice uneven. I passed him the paper that the teacher had given us. This time, I purposely extended it so my grasp was as far as possible from any contact.

The paper read, in bold letters:

 **Write down all the things you discover about your partner in the following box:**

"So we just write down everything we know about each other?" Jace questioned. I nodded.

"Yup," I responded. I twirled my pen in my hand, thinking of something to ask. "We should just start with basics, right?" I looked up to see him watching me with intent golden eyes.

 _He_ hadn't changed one bit.

His golden blonde hair still lay in soft, slightly curly locks. A soft layer of sunny skin ran over him like rays of light, flowing over every muscle. However, I noticed a faint piece of tattoo peeking out from his short sleeve, dangerously risking to be seen.

I snapped out of my trance when I noticed him writing. I looked at his paper.

"'Fiery red hair'?" I quoted.

"Well, nobody said anything about _not_ including appearance," he said. He scribbled other words in neat handwriting across the page. Every curve and every line written was perfectly identical to the next, creating a mirroring sensation. I couldn't help but feel jealous. _He's even better than me._ "So, where are you from?" He asked. I dropped my pen on the desk loudly. He didn't remember.

 _Anything._

"Um... Downtown from here..." I mumbled. How didn't he recognize me? Was I this different? Questions raced through my head and I couldn't help but feel sick inside.

"Really? Me, too!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide. _Yeah, because we grew up side by side,_ I wanted to shout. I mumbled a 'mhm' before writing it down quickly on my piece of paper. He was absolutely clueless, but not in a funny way that I would laugh at. I felt empty. "Favorite color?"

"Green."

"Black." _The same answer he had given me 8 years ago._ The knot in my stomach tightened. "Play sports?"

"Dance and soccer," I responded, looking down at my paper.

"Soccer and football." He seemed oblivious to my reaction. _Would he_ ever _catch on?_ "DId you have any childhood friends?" He read the question from the paper like it meant nothing, but I snapped.

"Yep, Jace Wayland."

* * *

The moment I had said that, I regretted it. I stood up to "go to the bathroom" immediately, needing a bit of fresh air. I almost ran out the classroom and to the girls bathroom.

Why hadn't I kept it to myself just a _bit_ longer? I was stupid. Now he would ask. He would question. He would drive into me and get answers if that was the last thing he'd do. He was built that way.

I stared at my reflection for what seemed like hours.

I wish I could've kept my cover longer. But what angered me the most was, _he didn't remember._

 _Nothing. Nada. Niet. Rien._ I felt emotions balance around in my mind, scolding myself, or then him. Confusion seeped through me like water in a sponge. I absorbed it. But I couldn't let it out. Couldn't understand.

I couldn't stay in the girls' bathroom forever. Clary Fray doesn't hide. She faces her problems. And with that, I strode out the door with a confident step.

* * *

By the time I arrived back to the class, it was almost over. I slowly made my way back to my seat, feeling Jace's confused gaze lay on me. I slid into my seat with a smooth movement.

"Just a few more questions," I told him, my voice almost _trembling_. He glanced up at me through black eyelashes, trying to unravel the problem just as I was moments ago. He nodded quickly.

Eventually I was asking yes or no questions, getting responses with head shakes and nods. Jace seemed uncomfortable, as well.

Suddenly, the bell rang. We both sprang to our feet, rapidly gathering our materials, trying to spend as little time next to each other as possible. I hurried out of the class towards Math, then Science and finally Art. He didn't seem to be in any of them, though I was almost completely sure he was in the last two.

When the lunch bell rang, relief coursed through me like a waterfall of comfort. I grabbed by small lunchbox from my locker and sprang outside.

The cool, fall air washed over me as I stepped outside without any sweater. I made my way around the building towards a huge willow tree.

But someone had already beat me to the spot.

The male figure raised his golden hair covered head and smiled softly towards me.

"Hey."

 **~FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED~**

Sorry if the writing's bad, I've been feeling a bit tired today, my head in the clouds... I hope you enjoyed. Be sure to review to tell me if you're liking it so far, or recommend anything! Thanks for reading!

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	4. Ten Words Are Enough

❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you to all of those who favorited, followed, and review the story! Anyways, I think I'll be doing half Clary POV and Jace POV. I hope you enjoy! Also, Clace will be approaching. Might be a little sneak peek of it the next chapter.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the Mortal Instruments.

 **Chapter 4:**

 _Ten Words Are Enough_

Jace was standing with his tanned arms stuffed in his black jean pockets. He was propped up against the willow tree's trunk, one leg folded against it. On the cloudy day like it was today, I would have expected him to have at least a sweater, but his bare arms were exposed to the autumn chill.

He was completely calm, as if he was expecting someone.

"I knew you'd be here. I always thought you had a soft spot for willows. You can come closer, you know. I don't bite," he chuckled nervously. "Oh, I see how it is."

He stood up completely straight. He had grown to at least 6 feet. He towered over me small 5'2 frame.

He walked over to me, golden hair blowing in the wind. Even though I was mad, I couldn't help but say he looked _extraordinary_. I stood still, just admiring his long stride and the way his muscles flexed with every smooth movement.

"As much as I love you checking me out," he said. "We need to talk. Or more like, _I_ need to apologize." He looked down at his black motorcycle boots. "You've just changed- _a lot_." He gazed at me, gold eyes running over my body and face. "I'm sorry, Clary," he murmured. His eyes spelled it out for me.

"It's not a big deal," I said, giving him a small smile. "It's hard to remember someone after that much time. I get it."

I didn't expect us to suddenly become best friends again, I just hoped we could become acquaintances. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and nodded, his thin face bobbing.

"We should get back to lunch," I said, shattering the awkward silence. I honestly didn't want to stay here- with him.

We made our way back to the cafeteria, and right before he walked off to the lunch line, he turned to me and smiled.

"Nice to have you back, Thorn," he told me, smirking irresistibly. _Wait, no. Just smirking._

Wait. _Thorn?_ What he used to call me.

I glared at him, wide-eyed. He just grinned wider. "See you around," he said before strutting off to the line. I clutched my bag lunch to my chest in pure confusion. _Was this a symbol of reconciliation?_ I gaped as I watched his tall figure mingle and talk with girls, responding to their obnoxious giggles and _stupid_ flirts.

I hurried towards the bathroom. I stood at the sink, turned it on and splashed freezing cold water on my pale face.

So, Jace Wayland was back. _In his most appealing appearance._ But that wasn't the point. He also resumed calling me 'Thorn'.

What a day.

Just as I was about to leave the bathroom, Seelie, Kaelie and their squad barged in, talking loudly.

"… And did you see that blonde hotness? Oh, my god..."

"… He totally flirted with me..."

"… His name is Jace, which is like... _so_ hot!..." Their squeals and constant chirps made me feel locked up in a room with blaring alarm clocks.

"Uh... Are you leaving or what?" Kaelie remarked, staring at me with a disgusted look. The girl squad stopped chatting and she placed her short, stubby hands on her waist. Her face was covered in pounds of makeup, she literally looked _orange_.

"Yeah," I mumbled, before pushing the door and walking out into the stuffy hallway. My combat boots hit the beige and white tiles loudly as I hurried down towards my locker.

I grabbed my books and strode towards the library.

* * *

-Jace-

Under the willow tree there, she looked so troubled.

Her red braids were flowing around, and her cheeks were pink from the breeze. Her green eyes were full of concern. They looked so different than the last time I had seen her. She had become absolutely-

Beautiful.

Her red locks had darkened, like blood flowing down a white porcelain doll's face. Her eyelashes had become darker, longer, and her eyes, _oh_ her eyes. They shined as if they were made of stars and sequins. They were a deeper green, like ivy. She didn't have any make up on, and she didn't need it.

She was still short, but she had grown into a woman. Her curves were perfectly portrayed, like the soft curves of a thin hourglass. Long, thin legs, elegantly moving with an ethereal look. Her pale skin complimented her form perfectly.

She was different from the other girls. She didn't need to try to be pretty. She didn't need to cover her whole face with concealer and products. No hair dye could ever make any hair look as nice as her crimson locks.

She was still as shy as she was 8 years ago, and frankly, I honestly wanted to get to know her again. Everything I missed, everything she's done. _Or maybe just to listen to her voice._

When we walked back to the lunch room, she was silence, but I felt her wanting to talk to me. To say something.

"Nice to have you back, Thorn," I said, flashing her my best smile. Her eyes suddenly went wide at my reference to what I used to call her. "I'll see you around," I added, more for my benefit. I reassured myself that I _would_ see her again, that I _would_ be close to her again, that I _would_ comfort her.

I would.

* * *

I walked back to the lunch line. I was suddenly approached by a blonde girl. Her obnoxious laugh followed me.

"Hey," she said, forcing her voice low, probably trying to appear attractive. She thrusted out her chest and swung her hips. "Looking for a place to sit, _Jace_?" She tried to wink, but failed.

"No, I'm okay," I responded, smiling sympathetically. "I've got somewhere to-" I added before turning back to look where Clary was. Or used to be. I glanced around the huge cafeteria, looking for a specific redhead.

She was nowhere to be found.

"What did you say, hotness? Not gonna come? Bummer," she said, pouting. Had Clary just left?

Considering the girl was half-hot, and I had the need to get my mind off the redhead, I said I'd love to.

The rest of lunch passed by with me and the blonde girl, Seelie, exchanging flirts. Once it finished, she was almost attached to me, all over my arm. _Clingy much?_

* * *

On the way to class, I spotted Clary being pushed against the lockers by another guy. He had black hair and a white tank top, hugging his biceps. He was muttering something to her. A gang of boys encircled them.

Clary had her head turned to the side against the locker, eyes closed. The main guy suddenly grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. He growled something that made her flinch. At that, I snapped.

"Hey back off," I warned, pushing him off her. I had easily made my way through the small crowd. Clary fell against the beige locker, clutching her cheek and chin. "What the hell's wrong with you?" I growled.

"Let's go, Alec," another boy murmured. Alec grunted and flashed me one last _you'll-pay-for-this-later_ look. Their squad left me and Clary. I was surprised that they had left so quickly, after barely 10 words.

Clary suddenly looked at me, all color leaving her face. She grabbed her backpack and hurried out of the hall towards the exit.

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The plot thickens...

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	5. Table Lamp Shadows

Hello, again! Get ready for a roller coaster of emotions for both characters!

 **Chapter 5:**

 _Table Lamp Shadows_

I needed to get away, to clear this ache in my head.

I let my mind guide me as I shuffled away from the school. Cars honked, birds chirping, the wind blew. Nothing seemed out of place, except my emotions. Suddenly, Jace comes and my usually contained self goes wild in confusion.

 _What is he doing to me?_ Why did he stop Alec? What was it to him? All day, my mind's been racing and I can't even think straight.

I walked faster, determined to get home. I thrust my cold hands into my sweaters pockets, swinging sideways with each encounter of another pedestrian. My hair drifted along with the wind, flying like the thin string at the end of a kite.

After what seemed like hours, I found myself standing on the sidewalk in front of my house. I practically ran in, throwing the white door open, causing it to bang into the beige wallpaper. I flung my backpack onto the couch before sprinting up the wooden stairs. My bedroom door flew open with the force I had pushed it with, and I sank into my queen size bed. I covered my face with my thin white fingers, rubbing my eyes. I was exhausted.

I unzipped my thin black sweater and threw it across the room, and heard a soft thud on the wooden floor. My mother wasn't going to be back until next week, so I was alone.

I just needed to sleep. So I did.

* * *

I woke up to streaks of sunlight paving my wooden floor and the walls, adding a golden zebra print between each dent in the curtains. I had slept all through yesterday afternoon and it's night.

My stomach ached, hungry. I rolled over my fluffy white covers, grasping the bed backboard as support as I stood up. I stumbled down the stairs, focusing on one step at a time. I shuffled into the pristine and clean kitchen, rummaging through cabinets.

After having eaten, I glanced at the clock. I had twenty minutes to get ready for school.

I threw on a white t-shirt and a high waisted jean skirt. I put my mess of a hair in a messy bun on top of my head. As I did it, I noticed a big mark across my cheek. I tried to cover it with my hair, so I decided to keep my red mess down in a ponytail, with a few strands behind my ear to hide the bruise. After, I slipped on a pair of white high-tops Converse to finish the outfit. Grabbing my backpack on the way out the door, I left to go the the school campus.

.w.W.w.

Crowds of people filed into the two entrance doors, creating a wave of students. I let myself filter through them, zig-zagging towards the empty cracks. Once I arrived to my locker, I heard loud loughs from behind me.

Twisting my head to glance at them, I found Alec's group pointing and laughing at me. I suddenly reddened and kept my eyes on my current task. I grabbed my books before hurrying to my class, slamming my locker door shut. Snickers followed me until I entered the classroom.

I was the first one there, so I decided to sit in the middle row. I pulled out my books from my bag and settled them into the desk shelf. I propped my elbows onto the desk and laid my head in my hands.

After a couple of minutes, students started filtering into the small classroom, talking between each other. My eyes suddenly sparked up when I spotted Jace.

He suddenly walked over to me and plopped down into the seat next to me.

" _What the hell are you doing_?" I shouted to him in a whisper. He just grinned.

"Sitting next to you," he said, smirking.

"You're committing social suicide," I warned.

"Don't care, if it means sitting next to you."

"Kiss ass," I teased, trying to cover up the small smile tugging at my lips. "Listen, about yesterday-"

"It's fine," Jace responded. "It happens." I nodded curtly, pushing a strand of red hair behind my ear.

The rest of the class passed without much talking. Jace suddenly leaned over to peek at my paper. Out of surprise, I jerked it back. He threw his hands up in exasperation.

"I was just checking if you were still as smart as me," he said, quietly. " _Sheesh_."

"I was always smarter," I scoffed. We went on teasing each other until the class finished. We both stood up at the same time and walked out together. We met Kaelie and Seelie outside the class, and Seelie automatically clutched Jace's arm with a small, annoying giggle.

As I turned my head the other way as Jace talked, or _flirted_ , with them more like, Jace suddenly followed me and grabbed my wrist. He pulled me against the lockers. He grabbed by chin gently and turned my head.

"What the _hell_ is this?" He growled, tracing the big bruise and mark Alec had left the day before, on my left cheek. "Did _Alec,_ " He spat the name out, "do this to you?" I tried to pry his hand away but he pushed me harder against the beige surface against my back. "Clary. Answer me." I flinched as his light fingers traced the mark.

"I-I don't know," I stammered, my eyes closed as his fingers slipped lower and pushed my head up, telling me to look up. I opened my eyes and met his gaze.

"If anything happens like this again, come to me first, okay? I got you, Thorn," he said at last. He suddenly seemed to realize he had his hands cupping my face, and he shoved his hands in his pockets, glaring at the tiled floor. "We should probably get to class," he muttered, his voice uneven. I quickly nodded and trailed behind his tall figure as we made our way to our next period.

When we arrived, we were separated into groups. I was stuck with two other juniors. They only talked to me when needed, if they were stuck on a difficult question or if they needed a pencil or a pen.

Even though I wasn't watching him, I felt Jace's eyes burn into my back. I turned around and smile at him, only to have him suddenly look away, hoping his looks would go unnoticed. I looked back at my work, putting all my focus into the assignment.

Once the day was done, I suddenly remembered the assignment from Homeroom with Jace. We had to work out of school filling the paper and the rest of the sheet. I silently scolded myself for having no way to contact him. As if he had read my thoughts, a blonde boy appeared out of nowhere behind my locker door.

I slapped my hand over my hand in shock. "Jace! You scared the hell out of me!" I scolded him. His expression was made to seem bored, but his eyes were saying the exact opposite.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, uninterested. "Homeroom project, remember?"

"Yeah, library?"

"Good idea." We walked towards the library, the place I was most familiar with, in silence. He pushed the door open for me. "After you."

We chose two seats from a secluded table towards the back, hidden by many rows of books. We were among the little amount of people there, since it was the end of the school day. Jace sighed as we sat down, pulling out the paper and slumping down in the seat. He leaned back and put his hands behind his head.

"Well, let's get this over with, shall we?" He asked, trying to seem bored, but I could easily see how he was really covering another feeling under that expression.

"Yep," I said. "So, what should I know about you?"

"I'm _godly_ attractive," he responded, smirking. "Number one QB, irresistible charm... And my glory goes on." I scoffed and laughed.

"C'mon. I'm serious."

"That makes two of us." His grin was enough to tell him he was just messing with me, but I couldn't make myself believe he was joking. _He does have an irresistible charm. Focus._ I twirled a strand of blood red hair around my finger, reading over the paper. I felt his gaze on me as I continued. I peeked up at him, earning his throat being cleared.

We spent the rest of the time answering the questions about each other, scribbling down notes. Apart from back and forth answers, we were silent. The only noise in the library was the sound of our pencils scraping the paper with every twist of our wrists.

Once we were finished, he quickly stood up, gathered all his things and started making his way towards the door. I grabbed his forearm.

"Jace, wait," I called. He turned around, his expression troubled.

"I, um... I have to go," he stammered. "I'll call you, or something."

"You don't have my number," I mumbled, gazing at my feet.

He cleared his throat. "I'll figure it out." With that, he hurried out the library without a second glance.

-Jace-

She drove me _crazy_. After barely two days of knowing her again, she was driving me insane.

The way she twirled her flowy crimson hair around her long, pale fingers, without realizing how much I itched to push a rogue strand behind her ear. I must have been looking at her obviously, because she suddenly looked up at me, smiling with her thin rose-colored lips.

I cleared my throat, trying to clear the awkward tension floating in the air. I watched the way her lips moved when she spoke with her light voice, the way her pencil marked thin lines neatly over the paper, the way her eyes glinted around the warm table lamp light, shadowing her light silhouette on the wooden table. The shadows pranced around as she graciously passed her hand through her hair, pulling it back into a high ponytail.

Once we were done answering each other's questions, I stuffed the paper into my binder, anxious to get some fresh air. _I_ didn't even know what she was doing to me.

I stood up quickly, throwing my backpack over my shoulder in one gracious movement. Just as I was making my way towards the door, I felt a soft hand touch my forearm.

"Jace, wait," Clary called after me. I flinched, turning around. Her eyes were full of concern, worried.

"I have to go," I quickly said. "I'll call you or something." I was hoping to be able to, honestly.

Her green eyes moved down towards the floor, looking at it. She mumbled, "You don't have my number." Her red hair fell like curtains on both sides of her face.

"I'll figure it out," I made out. I met her gaze one last time before pushing the library exit open and shuffling out into the hallway, probably leaving Clary confused, alone.

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	6. Camo Jeans

❤My lovely followers ❤️-

Thank you so much for the reviews and follows! It means so much to me. I really appreciate the feedback from all of you.

 ****One bit of swearing in this chapter—heads up for those not okay with it****

Chapter songs:

Mess is Mine – Vance Joy

Carmen - Lana del Rey (or Lana del **BAE** )

 **Chapter 6:**

 _Camo Jeans_

Nobody says crush anymore. But that's exactly what I had with Clary. In two days, she made me regret being that player all through my recent years of high school. She made me feel like I should've stayed in San Francisco, so I would've had a better chance with her, instead of barging in with a " _Hey, remember me? Yeah! Your friend that abandoned you eight years ago! I'm back now though, and I secretly like you."_ That would give the _best_ impression.

I sank lower into my Homeroom seat, listening to the teacher drone on about responsibilities and such before being seniors. Clary seemed to be mirroring my expression. Her eyelids low, head leaning into her hands, and her elbows propped lazily on the desk. Her red hair in two long French braids trailing down her back in a small _zig-zag_ fashion.

She had painted her nails black, giving her a mysterious, but yet alluring look. She wore a black crop top fitted nicely to her chest, and camo high-waisted jeans. She had slipped on a pair of black Nike wedges, and she looked absolutely bad-ass, completely contradicting how she had looked yesterday. She had had her hair in a high ponytail, white shirt, and jean skirt.

She had looked so _innocent_ , it's like she had exchanged personalities between a lion and a small white cat.

Her eyelids fluttered shut, exposing her long, black eyelashes curling at the end. She opened them, glancing at me. Her green eyes shined and she smiled, messing with the end of one her braids between her thin fingers.

I winked at her. I drew out my iPhone behind my notebook, so that the Homeroom teacher would not notice. I had gotten her number from an old friend of hers that I knew. I found her name in iMessage.

[ **Jace** , _Clary_ ]

8:13 **Boo** **.**

8:14 _Jace_ _?_

8:14 **I don't know. You tell me.**

8:14 _Hi, Jace._

8:15 **Hello, Clary.**

He glanced at her from his phone and smirked at her bored expression.

8:15 **You seem to be having fun.**

8:15 _Yeah, you ruined it all._

8:15 **Liar. We all know I make your day.**

8:16 _In your dreams._

8:16 **Considering that you are in them, …**

8:16 _Perv._

8:17 **Am I in yours ;) ?**

8:17 _You wish._

8:17 **I do.**

8:18 _Creep._

8:18 **You seem to have quite a collection of names for me.**

8:18 _Asshole._

8:19 **Ah! She's getting original now.**

8:19 _I can't even._

8:19 **Why not? Am I making you...**

8:19 **Uncomfortable?**

8:20 _You look bad today._

8:20 **Thanks! The feeling's mutual 3**

8:20 _At least MY ass looks good wearing these jeans._

8:20 **My ass doesn't need to wear anything to look good.**

8:21 **;)**

8:21 _Ew._

She raised her gaze and met his. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She rolled her eyes and looked back at her own phone.

8:22 _Can you be serious for a MINUTE?_

8:22 **Not sure. Wanna try?**

8:22 _God_.

8:23 **You called me?**

8:23 _Ha. Ha. Ha._

8:23 **I'm glad you find me funny :)**

8:23 _Your face is funny._

8:24 **You're just laughing at your face's patheticness.**

8:24 _Is that even a word?_

8:24 **Almost sure.**

8:25 **Officially googled- it is.**

8:25 _Are you even listening to Ms. Hamilton?_

8:25 **Are you?**

8:26 _Smartass._

8:26 **I think Jace is fine.**

8:27 _You're making my head hurt._

8:27 **Is my attractiveness messing with your head?**

8:27 **Any dirty thoughts, Berry?**

8:28 _Not one is about you._

8:28 **Yeah. They all are.**

8:28 _I'm done._

8:29 **That's unfortunate. Things were just starting to get a bit fun.**

8:29 _I'm getting my revenge._

8:30 _Just wait ;)_

.w.W.w.

During History, me and Jace kept exchanging mock insults and jokes, prying at the other's ego once in a while. His golden hair was tousled, and his tanned face was as fresh as ever. His eyes were awake and alive, unlike mine, who were silently threatening to give out at any minute and close. I was barely listening to the course as I texted him again.

I felt his golden eyes on me as I typed in the text.

[ **Clary** , _Jace_ ]

9:17 **Why are you staring at me? Creep.**

9:17 _I thought I told you last time, I go by Jace. Now, Tally McMolly over there is staring at ME with her tall-ass head._

9:17 _Fuckin' giraffe._

9:18 **What will I even do with you …**

9:18 _I have ideas … ;)_

9:18 **EWWW.**

9:19 _You totally saw it coming._

9:19 _Besides, I'm just kidding._

9:19 **Suuree. That's what they all say.**

9:20 _I'm not like everybody else..._

9:20 _Nothing about me is normal..._

9:20 _Or normal sized ;)_

9:21 **Ew. Groooosss. And ofc I know.**

9:21 **Your brain is minuscule compared to the average one.**

9:22 _Ouch._

.w.W.w.

The bell had rung right after our last text, and I didn't seen Clary again until lunch. I spotted her in her black shirt and camo jeans, hanging out by the door, fiddling with her lunchbox, seeming to wait for someone. When she saw me, her eyes sparkled and she smiled, waving towards me.

I strode towards her, my own lunch in my hands. We settled down outside, under the willow tree. The leaves swayed in the wind while we were huddled close, trying to shield the wind from each other.

"What made you come back?" She asked. I had lent her my leather jacket once I had noticed her small shivers. "Like back here?" Her arms were wrapped around her, hugging herself.

"I don't know," I admitted. "New York wasn't really my thing, I think. I needed a change of scenery."

"So you came back to an old place? Why not somewhere new?" Her green eyes looked in mine, melting my walls instantly.

"Meh."

"Meh? Is that all you have to say?"

"I don't know, jeez!"

"You're so difficult," she complained.

"You started it," I retorted playfully. She smiled, showing no teeth, and her eyes softened. When a rogue strand of red hair blew in the wind, I couldn't help myself. I leaned forwards, closer to her. Her breath caught, I noticed, as I slowly drew it back behind her ear. My gaze never left hers.

I brought my hand back, then slowly caressed her left cheek, tracing the faint mark of where Alec had hurt her.

"It's healing," I whispered. She parted her lips, as if to say something. But before she could, my mind took over my body. I brought her face closer to mine, holding her cheek with the hand that had been touching it. I faintly closed my eyes, and I leaned my head forwards. I glanced one more time in her mysterious, emerald eyes before doing the last thing I would have ever thought of doing.

I kissed Clary Fray.

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 ****PLEASE READ NOTE****

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 _Sorry it was such a short chapter! Hopefully, I'll try to update more regularly, but of course the chapters will be shorter, maybe about this size. Thank you for reading_ ❤️

 **~ALSO~ Don't think that now that they kiss, it'll all be couple-y, cheesy romance. Nope! It's not that easy. Don't give up on me!**

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	7. Confused Kisses and Words

❤️My dear followers❤️,

I'm so sorry I haven't updated in _days_. I've been really busy with end of year work and apartment renovation ( _I got_ _ **too**_ _inspired by Property Brothers)_ with the babe. I've also been really busy with my other story, **The Assassin & the Maid**, feel free to check it out (Rated M). About this story, though, I think I'll short chapters to 1K-2K _**but**_ update more often.

Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites! It means a lot to me!

 **!ALSO!:** _I'm currently searching for a beta._ _ **If anyone is interested; PM**_ _or_ _ **REVIEW**_. _Thank you. Now, let's read!_

-Eleonore

 **Chapter 7:**

 _Confused Kisses and Words_

Before I knew what was happening, his lips pressed to mine, scorching with shyness and fear. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but we were both stricken with both excitement and embarrassment. His tanned cheeks were as red as my hair, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" He asked, nervously passing a hand through his golden hair. "Am I that bad of a kisser?"

I shook my head, still giggling. "No, not at all. Actually quite the opposite." He grinned mischievously.

"Wanna try again?"

" _Ew._ No. It was fun once, but it was a joke."

"That's what they all say." He extended his arms for me, wiggling his fingers in my direction. His grin widened when I squealed. "You sure, Thorn?" He started tickling me, running his hands down over my stomach and my sides. I giggled loudly, curling into a ball to get rid of his grip. It didn't work. He gripped my face and brought it closer to his.

"I'm having second thoughts," I mumbled, my voice shaking with anticipation and excitement. My eyes fluttered shut as I felt his breath against my lips a second before his were placed on to mine. I opened my eyes again, and pulled back. His eyes spelled out disappointment.

"Jace?" I asked, looking down at my hands and messing around with my fingers. "Should we really be doing this?" His eyes clouded with trouble as I pronounced my last words.

"What do you mean?" He passed his hand through his hair, a nervous habit, I assumed.

"I mean... You just came back after eight years. I don't really know you that much." I felt his gaze locked on my face, and I couldn't help but feel rude. "Wait, I didn't mean it like-"

"You don't know me _that much_? Clare, we've spent years together."

"Yeah, but like, you've changed." I suddenly felt nervous. What if he got mad at me? I shrugged, trying to brush the feeling of uneasiness off.

"I've _changed_? You're kidding right?" At that, I looked up. Fury raged in his gold eyes, turning a dangerous shade of fire. He stood up, his hands clenching and unclenching against his sides.

"Jace, wait-" He stared me dead in the eye. If looks could kill, I'd be in my grave by now.

"Tell me, Clary," he said, his voice deadly calm. "Changed for good, or bad? Oh, wait. Right. You don't ' _know me that much_ ', so I guess you can't say." I felt anger coming off of him in fiery waves. I stood up in turn, reaching towards him. He yanked his hand back. "Forget it, _Clarissa._ You can go find some other guy's heart to mess with." He grabbed his backpack from the ground and stalked away before I had time to respond.

 _What the hell did I do?_

I wanted to run after him, but I knew that he would just get even more mad and confused in my presence. I sat against the wide, rough trunk of the swaying willow, contemplating my next move. I grabbed my bag's strap and threw it over my shoulder. I jogged, or _tried_ , with my Nike wedges, trying not to stumble in the grass.

Without bothering to eat, I slipped into my next period's class, trying to avoid any students in the halls. I just wanted this day to end.

.w.W.w.

And she thought _I_ had changed? I sighed internally with Seelie and her posse chatted aimlessly about clothes, boys and what not.

I had to admit: I had hoped that she would run after me when I stalked away from her under the willow. And I just have to say, her kiss was delicious. _No,_ we're getting off topic. I scolded myself as I felt Seelie hang off my arm, her mouth moving, saying something that I, frankly, wasn't listening to.

For the last thirty minutes, I had been grunting out yes or nodding if she ever talked to me, not even bothering to listen to the question. She suddenly squealed.

"Jacey! I'm so excited! Oh, my gosh! We'll be, like, the cutest couple at the dance!" She exclaimed, moving her hands everywhere frantically with excitement. Wait, _what?_ What dance?

"At the dance?" I asked, clueless. She stopped and looking at me, her face saying _Duh. What to you mean, "At the dance?"._

"Well, yeah, _hotstuff_." She's been coming up with the most _humiliating_ nicknames, AND saying them loudly in front of the whole student body. "The beginning of the year dance, just as a welcome to the noobies."

I can't believe she just said that. Way to be classy, Seelie.

"But since you're with _me_ ," she said her name as if she was pronouncing the queen of England's, throwing her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder. "You'll be fine, Jacey," she added, probably noticing my discomfort.

"Uh..." I needed to get myself out of this mess. "I actually think I'm busy that night." Her face fell, her eyes glinting with disappointment.

"But, you just said you were free." Leaving my mouth and brain unattended won't happen again. It's dangerous. I chuckled nervously.

"I did? I guess I'll have to check my calendar, or something." My brain suddenly switched gears and whirled in _Clary Land_ direction, and I quickly found myself engulfed with thoughts all about her.

Who will she be going with? Is he a nice guy? … Maybe it's not a _he_. Why would she have kissed me, then?

Every thought drifted into the direction of another, like a treasure hunt with all it's hints guiding you to other clues.

I got snapped out of my thoughts when a specific, noisy, loud, and obnoxious voice blew out my listening barriers.

"Jacey? Are you even listening?" Cringe. "We have to cooperate for, like, what we're wearing."

"I don't think I'll be going."

"Why not?"

Quick, Jace. Generate a believable response to make her shut up.

"I already asked someone," I blurted out of my mouth, before I could stop my lips. She scoffed, twirling a strand of dead-looking blonde hair around neon red nail polish covered fingers.

" _Pff._ Who would you already know, like, so well, to go to the dance with them? Like, apart from me, duh," she added, rolling her eyes at the other girls at the table like it was obvious.

"Just some girl."

"Just some girl?"

"Yup."

"Name?"

"Cl... Chloe! Chloe Hamilton."

"I've never heard of a Chloe Hamilton at our school."

"Yeah, she doesn't go here."

"Oh. Is she pretty?"

"I guess."

"Can we meet the girl?"

"I'll ask if she wants to come by." _From my imagination._

* * *

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	8. Red Light, Green Light

❤️My dear followers❤️,

Thank you for all the reviews! I really appreciate all the feedback I have received from all of you, and from the simple follows and favorites!

I hope you guys enjoy this (short) chapter!

 **ALSO:** Beta search is over! I have to thank **Fanfiction and Chocolate** for filling the much needed spot!

Now we must read!

-Eleonore

 **Chapter 8:**

 _Red Light, Green Light_

I avoided Jace all day, which, of course, is _not_ the easiest thing to do. Considering he seems to be literally _everywhere I turn,_ I'm left hiding in the girls' bathroom until he leaves the hallway, along with the mob of girls crowding around him non-stop.

I felt humiliated. I kissed him, and to add on top of that, he raged and left me all alone under the willow tree, one of the most depressing and cliché areas to be after that. He probably thought of me as a whore, "messing around with guys' hearts".

 _Ouch._

And to rub it in even more, he sat with Seelie at lunch, the _real_ whore. I mean, who sleeps around with the whole football team for "fun"? Jealousy, you might say, but I would rather call it reality.

And, _oh_ , the way she hangs on his arm like a slinky, constantly gluing herself to his body and pushing her cleavage in his face. _How desperate can you be?_

Once I heard loud chatting slowly stop, I unlocked the plastic stall door with a small clank of the metal lock. I shuffled out of the stinky and gross girls' bathroom, making sure to wash my bony hands on the way out.

I hurried towards my locker in record time, shoving all of the heavy books into my too-small backpack, almost breaking the zipper as I yanked it closed. Throwing the weight over my shoulder in a quick motion, I practically ran out of the pristine hallway, not even earning glances from surrounding students as my wedges clanked loudly on the tiled floor.

I pushed open the main entrance doors and stalked through the brisk air, which dried my lips. I stopped on the wide steps in front of the school, taking out chapstick from my stuffed school bag. As I passed the product over my lips, I heard a voice behind me.

"Clary?" Jace. I could recognize that low, and I must say attractive, voice anywhere. I turned around, putting the white plastic cap on the stick. He was standing there, his eyes troubled, as if he was trying to unravel a puzzle. Me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, crossing my arms and rubbing them with my hands due to the temperature.

He shoved his hands in his jean pockets, looking down at the pavement. "Listen, about lunch and everything... I'm sorry about that, I got mad for whatever reason, I was just tired. You know."

He looked so uncomfortable standing there, clearly embarrassed and guilty about our later encounter. I just nodded. He looked up and glared at me. "Just a nod?"

"What?" I asked, looking up at him under my thick black eyelashes. "Were you expecting some kind of 'Oh, yes, I don't mind, your kissing skills evened out our fight, darling'?" He smirked sexily, his eyes softening.

"Did you just admit I had kissing skills, Clare?"

"Perhaps." He _tsk_ ed, his grin widening widening.

"I always knew you had a soft spot for good kissers," he whispered, taking a step closer to me. He laid one hand on my cheek, grazing my lips with his thumb. His eyes fluttered shut as he placed a hesitant kiss on them, wetting my dried mouth. I shuddered as his hand brought my face even closer, and our foreheads were touching along with our mouths.

Suddenly, a voice from behind cleared their throat loudly.

"Come on, Red, how did you suddenly get a man looking like _that_?" Alec's voice pierced through the silence like an arrow through its target. Jace backed up quickly and pushed me behind him, shielding me from him.

"Piss off, jackass," he spat, clenching his fists. Alec just stood there, hands in his pockets, smirking as if he was glad he had gotten Golden Boy mad.

"Why?" He snickered. "Did I interrupt something? _Oops._ My bad." Jace narrowed his eyes at Alec, fury raging in them like a wildfire. He suddenly let go of me, stalking off towards him. He grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up and slamming him into the school's brick wall.

"What did you say?" He snarled, tightening his grip around his neck. Alec's breathing became labored under Jace's grasp. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Jace dropped him, and he doubled over against the wall, clutching his neck. He muttered something like, _"What the fuck, man?",_ under his breath.

"Next time you bother us, it'll be way worse than a little bruise," he grumbled, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him towards his car.

 _What the_ hell _just happened?_

.w.W.w.

The whole ride home, Clary was quiet. She fiddled with her hands like she was thinking deeply about something, or just worried. _Or maybe both_.

She looked down at her hands and brushed a strand of red hair behind her ear. She repositioned her hand back on her lap. I took one of my hands off the wheel and grabbed her hand. She jerked it away, her head shooting upwards and meeting my gaze.

I brought my hand back, feeling her uneasiness. "Clare?" She brought her eyes to look out on the road, gazing as the yellow streaks passed in quick blurs. "What's up?"

"N-Nothing," she stammered.

"Don't lie."

"I'm not."

"I can see it on your face."

"That's bullshit."

"It's not, Clary." At that, she glanced up at me, her eyes full of different emotions in a single mixing pot. She seemed to fight herself, choosing between telling and not.

"Jace, why did you do that?" She asked, blinking her emerald green eyes closed. She had stopped fiddling with her fingers, and she was currently crossing her arms and rubbing her palms up and down them, warming herself up.

"Do what?" I questioned.

"The thing with Alec," she muttered. She leaned her head against the window and stared through it, watching the rain drops hit the window with each _pitter-patter._

"He's hurt you before, Clare. I won't let it happen again." I noticed her face hadn't changed a bit, while I looked at her dim reflection on the window's glass. "He's not allowed to treat you like shit."

She turned her face, her gaze meeting mine as I struggled to keep my eyes on the road. "Why are you doing this, Jace? Like, being nice to me? What are you getting at?"

"You're my friend. I protect my own kin."

"Jace—"

A honk blared in the air and I stomped on the brake, throwing my arm in front of Clary to stop her from going forwards. I felt my body jerk forwards, but I forced my arm to secure her in her seat safely. Her breath caught as the car shrieked to a stop. A pick-up truck whizzed past us, the male driver giving me the middle finger through the slightly tinted window.

Clary breathed in again. She clutched her chest. As it was a red light, I turned to her.

"Clary? Are you okay?" Her eyes were wide in surprise and she stared straight in front of her before turning back to me.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She shook her head lightly, seeming to be trying to convince _herself_.

"You sure? I'm sorry, I just was looking at you and I didn't keep my eyes on the road and—" She grabbed my face and slammed her lips on mine. She pulled back after a couple of seconds, clearly as surprised as me.

I whistled. _Damn._

The light turned green and she tapped my forearm, gesturing the light. The rest of the ride was silent, only our quiet breathing filling the air of our own pick-up.

 _This girl's mysterious. And I'm going to figure her all out, even if it's the last thing I do._

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	9. Knives and Notes

❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you all so much for the reviews! **Review Answers:** All of you who wonder why Alec is such a bad guy – you shall see... 😈

 **!ALSO!** This chapter will be very short due to lack of time and just being a filler. Sorry.

 _Thank you to my Beta Fanfiction and Chocolate for their amazing help!_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the Mortal Instruments.

 **Chapter 9:**

 _Knives and Notes_

I woke up to a startling sound blaring in my ears. I threw my head below the heavy duvet, pulled it over my head and tucking in above it to shut out the noise. It became even more obnoxious. I poked a timid finger out of the bed, and tapped the alarm clock softly. It stopped completely, but the ringing echoed further into my head.

I wouldn't have to face Jace **{rhymilicious}** today, fortunately, after my little kiss outbreak. I felt a bit embarrassed. But then, why was my alarm clock on?

I shot up in my bed, gathering random clothes, clean, I hoped, that were sprawled across my carpet. I practically threw them on, shooting past my furniture as I ran to the kitchen.

Grabbing my book bag and a granola bar on the way to the bus. I ran across the sidewalk, and watched the only bus drive away quickly from my stop. _Shit._

I debated my options.

 _Mom?—Not in town. Not gonna work._

 _Friends?—Have none. Not gonna work. Another bus?—No such thing. Not gonna work._

 _Walk?—Possible, but will be very late._

Suddenly, a loud voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Clary!" I turned towards it, finding an attractive blonde boy sitting on a sleek black motorcycle.

Goodbye, ovaries.

"Need a ride?" Jace patted the small spot behind him. If I _were_ to join him, we'd be glued together, among other things. Still better than nothing. I shrugged.

"Would be a tad bit helpful, I think." He chuckled, his voice low and sexy. I walked over, slinging my backpack over my shoulder in one motion.

"Uh, I don't have any helmet," he said, hesitant. He wasn't wearing one either. I groaned: I had never ridden a motorcycle, and I was hoping my first time would be _safe_. He searched my face. He suddenly smirked. "Hmm... I'm guessing you've never had a ride on a baby like this one?" He slid his finger against the ridge of his bike.

"Jace," I whined. I put my hands around his chest, but the moment I did, he stood up to push the motorcycle upright. My hands clasped themselves, well, _there_. He sucked in a breath, sitting back down quickly.

"Clary," he growled, his head low. "Touch me there again, and I'll be sure to give you a different _ride._ " Oh my lord. I blushed crazily, backing up as much as I could to give him the space needed to relax. The moment he started it, the bike threw me forwards, bumping into him.

I clutched onto his waist for dear life, and my head found its way to laying against his shoulder. My hands were clasped tightly against Jace, and my cheek was against his back.

And I have to say, it was oddly comforting.

.w.W.w.

She was all against me, even her face. She was so warm, her body radiating heat to mine. Her frail arms were wrapped around me, and she seemed so— _relaxed._

The drive was quick, and I secretly wanted it to last longer. I got off the bike, and helped Clary get down it. She muttered a quick ' _thank you_ ' before hurrying off towards the two main school entrance doors. I caught up to her.

"Excited for tonight?" I asked her. Seelie had invited me to a party, where ' _everyone was attending_ ' Friday night, which was tonight. As she had told me that all juniors were attending, I assumed Clary knew about it. Her expression told me all wrong.

"What's tonight?" She answered me with another question. She looked absolutely confused.

"You know, Seelie's party," I told her. Her expression suddenly dimmed, and she frowned while she looked at the ground.

"Oh," was all she muttered out of her lips. She glanced up from under her thick black eyelashes. She mumbled, "I wasn't invited." _Well, there go my plans for asking her to it._

"But she said everyone was invited," I protested. Her eyes pierced into mine like emeralds cutting into gold ore.

"Did you honestly believe her?" She scoffed, and readjusted her books in her arms. "She's a liar."

"She looks nice," I said, hurrying to catch up with her quick stalking. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared straight ahead.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," she muttered, before quickly walking away in a different direction.

.w.W.w.

 _I've got a trick up my sleeve_

 _You run_

 _You can't leave_

 _I have you, hon._

 _A poem's nice_

 _A knife is too_

 _One, two, slice_

 _That'll be you_

.w.W.w.

Just seeing her with him made me so mad. Not because I'm jealous, but because, _why would you like a girl like_ that?

She was a traitor. She was a liar. She dug into people's business and threw out the private things all over for people to see. She ruined everything she touched.

Even me.

I never forgot what she did to me that past year, what she said to my _friends_ , my _family_ , _everyone._ She had stabbed my life in the gut, making it bleed with sadness and depression. She had set her mind on cutting its throat, but I stopped her right there.

I am no longer helping her, no longer talking to her, no longer paying attention to her. Instead of me being the one bleeding, I hurt her. Verbally and physically. Revenge took over my body, and I like that.

She can cry all she want about being bullied and hurt, but what I'm really doing is different.

I'm taking what she has and I don't.

Happiness.

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	10. Seelie's Party

️❤️My dear readers❤️,

I'm so sorry for the late chapter. I've been busy, trying to get it all done. I'm going to France Friday, and it's certainly going to be difficult to update as often. I'll try my best. Thank you all for the reviews and support! Here we go!

 _Also, a big thank you to my Beta Fanfiction and Chocolate for their amazing ideas and work!_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the Mortal Instruments. But neither do you. ❤️

 **Chapter 10:**

 _Seelie's Party_

1:05 **You can't force me to go with you to her party.**

1:05 _I think it's quite possible, actually._

1:06 **Go eat a cactus.**

1:06 _Feeling prickly today, Thorn?_

1:06 **Since you started texting me, yes.**

1:07 _Ouchies. I can feel the bad vibes coming to me from across the town._

1:08 **Yes. Be scared.**

1:08 _I already am._

1:09 **Why do you even want me to come**

1:09 _Because it'll be fuuunnn._

1:10 **You're gonna get me drunk or high.**

1:10 _You say that like it's a bad thing!_

1:11 **IT IS.**

1:11 _Relax, Berry. Everything having to do with me is fun._

1:12 **UGH YOU'RE SO ANNOYING JACE.**

1:12 _Thank you_ _❤️_

1:13 _I try._

1:14 _Sooo we're settled?_

1:14 **I'm not even invited to the party.**

1:15 _You can be like my date or something._

1:15 _Right? Like that's cool?_

1:17 **I guess**

I rewrote, and rewrote, the text over and over again as nervousness crept over me. Going as his date? That was pretty serious. He seemed just as nervous, not adding any arrogant remark after what he said.

1:18 _It's tonight. So I'll pick you up at like_

1:18 _8?_

I shuddered at the thought of him at my doorway, in his never-failing beautiful blonde hair. I melted at the thought alone. A chill coursed through me as I ran my thumb over my phone's keyboard.

1:19 **Ok.**

He didn't respond, and I took it as a sign that the conversation was over.

1:20 _Dress well in black. I don't want to have an ugly date. Kisses._ ❤️

1:20

1:21 _Gasp!_

1:21 **Go eat another cactus. The really spiky kind.**

1:22 _They're all really spiky. But nice try._

1:23 **Look good, too, is all. I don't want to be humiliated.**

1:23 _I aim to please._

.w.W.w.

After half an hour of running around my room looking for something _decent_ to wear, I settle on a strappy black jumpsuit **(I recommend looking it up to get a good idea)**. I slid on black wedge sandals, adding on to my sad height. I hoped I didn't look too formal for it. Fingers crossed.

I went for a simple natural look, only putting on some cat eye eyeliner and a thin layer of lip gloss. I fussed with my hair, going back and forth between down, up, ponytail, classy braid, et cetera. I finally went with a simple high ponytail. Frankly, it made me look taller and more classy. _Goals._

Around eight o'clock, I heard a quiet knock at my front door. Darting to my vanity, I did a final checkup, super nervous about how the night was going to roll out.

Grabbing my small purse, I walked down the stairs. I opened the door shyly, revealing a _goooorgeous_ Jace.

He wore black jeans, slightly ripped at the knees. He had a ruffled black button down on, the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. I could clearly see he had tried to tame his golden mess, but it still looked amazing. His hands were shoved into his pockets, in a super relaxed, but attractive, way.

His eyes darted down my body, from the revealing top to my heels. Our outfits matched, and I felt the blush rise up on my cheeks as he pronounced the words, "God damn."

I giggled nervously, and he leaned against the doorframe to get a better look at me. He whistled, and I must have looked like a tomato.

I held my handbag in front of me with both my hands, swinging them slightly. " _Sooo_ , are we going?" I asked shyly. He chuckled at my embarrassment and moved to the side to let me pass.

He hadn't brought a motorcycle, only a charcoal black pick up. He opened the door for me, holding my hand as he helped me up. What? It _was_ pretty high up.

He slipped into the front seat in a smooth motion, closing the door quickly. He glanced over at me, a sly grin on his face.

"Excited?" He questioned. He put one hand on the wheel, and placed the other behind my seat, looking behind him to get out of his parking space. I nervously messed with my hand bag's strap as he pulled out. Once he was out on the road, he directed his attention back to me, effortlessly guiding the truck with one hand.

His voice softened. "Why are you so nervous?" I shrugged. His hand moved to the radio, cranking it up a bit to smooth jazz. "Here, let's listen to cheesy elevator music. It'll surely calm your nerves." I giggled, and a small smile spread on his lips.

Once we turned onto the club's street, the pounding of club music became _very_ apparent in our ears. We parked close to the building, and strolled towards it. We earned multiple glances from other people walking.

"Why are they staring at us?" I hissed in Jace's ear. He shrugged his shoulders, keeping his gaze ahead of him.

"You look good," he simply stated. My eyes widened at his remark. _Did he think of me that way?_

My thoughts were drowned as we entered the club. She was clearly rich, and she used it to her advantage. She had rented the whole club room for her party. The stage was flashing with spotlights, where a DJ was currently messing with the sound of the party. Honestly, it sounded more like noise then music.

Jace was right on my heel as we walked into the big crowd. Boys watched, girls gaped. I heard pieces of whispers, finding the words "ugly", "do better", "simple", or "slut" awfully often.

My stomach dropped as I spotted Seelie strutting towards us, a flirty smile on her face. She was dressed in a tight strapless red dress. She was clearly showing off her fake cleavage to all eyes. She had slipped on _fuck-me_ pumps, and I couldn't help but think she looked like a hooker.

Her shrill voice practically killed my eardrums. "Jacie! There you are!" She stumbled towards us, a plastic red cup in hand. She looked awfully drunk.

"Why didn't you come and see me first before going to talk with your," she said, her eyes roaming over my body in disgust. " _Friend_." She brought her gaze back to Jace, throwing her head back and laughing maniacally. "Come dance, hotness."

He seemed oddly uncomfortable, and he just shrugged, like he always does. "Maybe later, Seelie."

"How rude to decline a host."

"I said later." I could see he was getting angry by the sound of his voice, but decided to stay quiet. He veered towards me, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the bar. He let go once we were far enough from her.

I saw his exasperated expression. I lifted my shoulders carelessly, moving towards the table to serve myself some punch. I sighed. "Meh, I don't like her anyways."

"Do you not care about my well-being? She's scary!" He exclaimed. I laughed softly, sipping from the plastic cup.

"Sure, sure." I lifted my eyes a bit. "Or maybe you're just a wimp," I added with a sing-song voice. He gasped sarcastically in the background.

"How rude, Clarissa." I giggled, grabbing his hands and pulling him to the dancefloor. He raised an eyebrow in question, and I just gave him a devilish grin.

I brought him to the middle of the dancing crowd, as Flawless [Remix] by Beyoncé played, beats added into it. This song always boosted my confidence. I laid my wrists on his shoulders, holding my cup in one hand. I swayed my hips to the beat to his surprise.

"What? Never seen a girl dance before?" I asked teasingly. I was feeling reckless.

 _Of course shit go down_

 _When there a billion dollars on the elevator_

 _(Goddam, Goddamn Goddamn)_

His eyes were wide as I turned, my back facing him, as I slid down, crouching when the lyrics blared. Every single person in the club moved to the drops and the rhythm of the song. A smirk spread on his face when I moved closer to him.

Once the song ended, I gave him a wink, then drifted off into the crowd. He stood gaping at me, and I could clearly feel his eyes watch me blend in with all the people at the club. Score.

It didn't take him long to find me again. He approached me as a slow resounded in the speakers. I watched as he reached out his hand towards me, his eyes secretly asking if I wanted to dance. I put my hand in his, and he pulled me into the crowd.

He twirled me around before dancing, then placed his hands on my waist. I wrapped my hands around his neck, and his hands pulled me tight against him. I leaned my head against his shoulder blade.

His body seemed to melt into mine, like two puzzle pieces. His arms wrapped around me in a warm hug, making me want to stay there forever. We both swayed to the sound in sync, our bodies one. He put his chin on top of my head. Out of nowhere, I felt him move, and he kissed my head. His head was back in his recent position, and he pulled me towards him even more.

He backed up from me, a small smile on his face. All the heat from our earlier embrace was gone, and I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed and cold.

"I'm going to go get us some drinks, okay?" He asked. "Be right back." He was off before I could answer. What kind of person gets _drinks_ during a slow song. Yet alone interrupt it completely?

He drifted off, and I couldn't seem him anymore in the large swarm of people around me. I slid between the crowd, mumbling many "Excuse me"s. I sat onto one of the couches, sipping from the punch.

Minutes passed without Jace coming back. Maybe he couldn't find me? My eyelids started to droop as minutes passed.

 _10 minutes._

 _30 minutes._

 _An hour._

People were already filtering out of the club. The large amount of bodies that had left made the temperature drop, and I suddenly felt very cold. After another ten minutes, I gave up.

He wasn't going to come back.

I took my handbag and stumbled out the door. Crap. I didn't have a ride. I walked down the dark streets, shivering as a breeze grazed my exposed arms. I dropped onto a bus bench, calling my mom several times, only to be greeted with the familiar voicemail tone. She was still on her business trip.

The honk of a car resounded in my ears. A wrecked pick up truck was filled with tons of boys, all laughing and staring at me. A certain person in the front seat made me cringe.

"Hey, sweetie. Did your boy leave you again? Bummer... I would take you home but... I don't want to." Alec shrugged, falsely sympathetic. "Have fun." He sped away, his tires screeching against the pavement.

I shook my discomfort off. I called again. I shut my phone off, leaning against the bench as I waited for the next bus. The loud noise of footsteps approaching brought me out of my exhaustion. A tall male figure was walking towards her. He came into view. Dark hair, tanned skin, muscular build.

"What is a pretty girl like you doing alone at a bus stop at midnight?" He asked, his hands in his pockets. He was a tad attractive. _Maybe a little bit more then a tad._ He looked closer at me. "You go to Abraham, right?"

I nodded. He took a seat next to me on the bench. "Need a ride?" I mumbled a yes, and he extended out his hand. He sent me a small smile. "Follow me."

Whoever this guy was, he was much better than Jace. That boy was trouble.

Always has been, always will be.

 **~FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED~**

There we go. That chapter was 2K, and that's how long most of them will be. Anywho, I hope you liked it!

Thank you for reading, once again!

 _Drop me a review?_


	11. Broken

❤️My dear readers❤️,

Thank you to all the babes who reviewed, followed, or favorited the story! I decided to go for a longer chapter, as I haven't updated in a while. Anyways, love you all! Muah!

 _Thank you to my Beta Fanfiction and Chocolate for their_ _ **amazing**_ _help! xx_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the Mortal Instruments. Only the plot and the material itself. Please do not plagiarize.

 **Chapter 11:**

 _Broken_

The ride in the car was short, the only things we shared was our names and grades. The boy's name was Seb, short for Sebastian. I couldn't keep my mind off of the other golden man even while talking to him. I had a deep pit in my stomach, clawing at it. It felt like a knot, tightening with every thought about Jace. He had left no trace, no text, no phone call, nothing. All I could ask myself was, why?

I slid out of the car, and Sebastian followed with. He brought me to the door.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, no emotion lacing my voice. He sent me a small smile. He passed me a small ripped piece of paper, where seven numbers were neatly scribbled.

"It's nothing. If you ever need help, call me up." I smiled in response. "Good night, Clary." He walked back, his tall figure fading down into the darkness, and sliding into his car. He sent me a wave and a wink, and drove off silently. I walked up to my room, stripping of my clothes and sliding into pajamas. I brushed my teeth and took off my makeup in a hurry, desperate for sleep. I flopped onto my bed, watching the light of the moon dance on my bedroom walls.

Sebastian was a senior, while I was a junior. Turns out, he was the captain on the football team, explaining his surfer body. My mind drifted off to Jace at the mention of surfer bodies, and I couldn't stop it. He, also, would be trying out for the football team, or so he had told me. I itched to call him, to ask him where the hell he was. I calmed down, bringing my mind back to Sebastian. As a female teenager, I couldn't deny his looks. I mean, who would?

He had dark brown hair, and tanned skin. Obsidian eyes, and if I looked close enough, I could notice a sparkle of purple. He was tall, somewhere around six feet, I had to admit. He had acted like a gentleman, not prying when he asked why I was alone on the streets at midnight. He had even asked if I wanted anything, if I wanted to stop at a takeout restaurant. I had denied politely, of course, but I could see he was slightly disappointed.

My eyelids started to droop, my mind starting to drift away from my body. The sudden chime of my phone bolted me awake.

 **(415)-201-5843**

12:37 _Safe in bed?_

My mind automatically thought it was Sebastian, so I calmed down, pushing away the thoughts of a serial killer.

12:38 **Yeah. Thanks for the ride, by the way. I really appreciate it.**

12:38 _Anytime._

12:39 **Shouldn't you be asleep?**

12:39 _Shouldn't you?_

12:40 **You woke me up XD**

12:40 _Sorry. Well, good night. Sleep well, Clary._

12:41 **Night.**

I fell asleep with warm fuzzies in my stomach. Weird, maybe, but comforting, yes.

.w.W.w.

Clary was nowhere in sight. I peered in all the hallways, trying to find that red head popping up in between crowds. It didn't. I walked to her locker. Nothing. I grabbed my things, anxious to find her in the classroom.

I walked in. All the seats are empty, except for a lone boy on his Nintendo at the last row. I needed to talk to her, to explain what had happened last night. I hadn't received any texts from her, even when I had texted her this morning. I went back out into the hall. I'm greeted with a sight that half confuses me, half makes me rage inside.

Clary, with a french braid running beautifully down her back, and a magenta mid-thigh cardigan and washed jeans. She was wearing the same Nike wedges then the other day, but she wore them to her advantage. The captain of the football team, Sebastian, I thought, was talking to her. He had a goofy grin on his face, and she was giggling and smiling. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted me. Her expression became grin, and her grip on her school books tightened.

Sebastian noticed me, following her gaze. He turned back to face her, asking her something. She shakes her head a bit, and proceeds in the direction of the classroom, towards me.

I reached out to stop her, but she sent me a dirty look. "Clary—" I started, before she interrupts me.

"Kiss my ass, Jace," she spat, strutting straight into the class. Even in our current situation, I can't help but find it a bit hot. She slumped down into a seat, preparing her things for class.

We don't interact for the rest of the three periods. She sits up at the end, and walks out before I have time to talk to her. She automatically runs off to her locker, grabbing her next books. I see Sebastian approach her, and she sends him a forced smile. I notice a tear escape her eye, and she furiously wipes it away. She puts her hands on her face, covering it.

Sebastian says something to her calmly, and slowly pries her hands away, holding them tightly in his. She mutters something angrily, and he pulls her to his chest. Jealously boils in my blood. I won't deny it, no.

She backs up, wiping at her tears frantically. She slams her locker door closed, and moves to her next class. Sebastian makes eye contact with me. His look is deadly, and he walks after her. I go to my next class, which luckily, is with neither of them.

I think over my options. I settle on my next action, and wait until the period finally ends.

.w.W.w.

Football tryouts roll around at the end of the day. I notice all the players, new ones nervous, old ones smug. I see a familiar blonde head arrive on the field, and it takes all my self control to not push him up against the fence and I ask him what the fuck he did to her.

Coach Jones claps his hands, and all the boys line up. I stand next to him, and analyze the group. I recognize faces from last season, and some frail, skinny guys. We give them pinnies for the tryout game, and I find myself facing Jace.

We line up, all crouching and ready to run. His eyes pierce into mine, and when I get the ball, I line up for the perfect shot. Some guy on our team catches it, and it's a touchdown for us.

Bring it on, Blondie.

By the end of the game, everybody's in ragged breaths, doubling over and leaning on their knees. Coach makes them line up, and with his clipboard, he recites the names of the people on our team.

" _Verlac, Berrian, Hamilton, Lightwood, Bane, Kyle, Washington, Wayland,"_ he droned on. My eyes connected to Jace's, and his grip tightened on his helmet. "You are all dismissed. Practice here, tomorrow, same time. Be there, or you're off." Everybody nods and makes their way to the locker rooms.

I put all my gear in my bag, not caring about the stares I'm collecting from Blondie. When I was about to leave, he shoved me against the lockers. His grip was tight on my collar, and he snarled.

"Whatever you do, don't hurt her," he growled. "I _will_ kill you." He shoved me once more before disappearing into the hall.

I shrugged it off, as if it was an empty threat. Last time I checked, he had been the one who had hurt her, and I was going to forbid him from doing it again.

.w.W.w.

I found Clary in front of the school. I approached her. She was slumped on the stairs in front of main doors, her head in her hands. She looked exhausted.

"Clary. Clary, listen to me," I begged. She looked at me, tears polishing her green eyes like glass. "Clary?"

"Oh, piss off, Jace," she made out, her voice uneven, and she hiccupped. I kneeled in front of her on the steps. She hung her face in her head between her legs. Red strands of hair shielded her face from the sides.

"Berry, look at me." She sniffed, and she passed her hand over her eye, brushing away tears threatening to fall. I cupped her cheeks, bringing her head up to meet mine. Her eyes were troubled, scared, confused. They weren't the normal emerald green crystals I loved.

"What do you want?" She mumbled, her voice weak. Tears flowed onto my fingers, wetting them. It was painful to watch her cry, and my stomach dropped every time a stream flowed down her cheeks.

"Tell me what's wrong, Clary," I consoled her, rubbing away tears with my thumbs, her face still in my hands.

She backed up, her eyes widening with anger and betrayal. "What's wrong?" She said between hiccups. "You freakin' abandoned me yesterday! My mother's hurt, and I'm fucking tired! I can't fucking sleep, Jace!" She hissed. It wasn't the moment to pry.

"Shh," I shushed her, bringing her against my chest. She didn't object. She bunched up my shirt with her hands, and I felt her sob against it. It was getting dark, and I knew all the buses to her house were no longer running. I wasn't going to let her walk back home alone. Her breathing was labored, and she buried her face in my shoulder. I pat her back, smoothing her down with my hands. She relaxed, taking gulps of air between sobs.

"It's gonna be all right, Clary," she said, moving her against me. She wrapped her arms around my neck lazily, and I kissed her forehead. "Do you want me to take you home?" I whispered. She nodded weakly. I grabbed her hands, hoisting her up. She stumbled, and I caught her waist before she fell. I grabbed the back of her legs, throwing her in my arms bridal style. I knew she was a wreck, and I wasn't in the mood to feel awkward about our position.

I opened the door to my truck, laying her down gently in the seat. I closed it quietly. I drove as quietly as I could, taking the roads with the less traffic and cars to avoid noises. When we arrived at her house, I took her out gently, and she clutched my shirt, burying her face in the crook between my shoulder and neck. I tensed, not expected her to be that forward. I ventured in her bag, and got her keys.

I slid them in the hole, quietly opening the door and closing it to quiet the creaking of the wood. I climbed the stairs, familiar with the house she had had for years. I laid her down softly on her bed, and when I moved away, she let out a whimper.

"Lay down next to me," she mumbled, her eyes fluttering a bit. They were red due to her crying, and I felt an urge to hug her tight. I laid down next to her, over the covers. She turned to meet my gaze. "Why are you doing this, Jace?" Her voice was weak, almost strained.

"I'll always be here for you, nine years old or not," I whispered, being honest about. I propped my head on my elbow, and she looked me in the eyes.

"You're a nice guy, Jace. Don't let girls like me ruin you," she mumbled, closing her eyes and her breathing slowly became even. Sleeping, I presumed.

I waited a couple of minutes until I was almost a hundred percent sure she was asleep. I sat up in the bed, the mattress dipping underneath my weight. I tucked her in quietly, and made my way to the door.

Her hoarse voice stopped me. "Stay. Please." I couldn't say no to 'please'. Her voice was begging, desperate. I turned to look at her. She was standing up, her eyes strained on me. She looked like a wreck. Her eyes were puffy, her face pale. Her hair was loose, strands in every direction.

"Please, Jace," she begged again. I couldn't bear to say no, to refuse her pleas. I walked back to her. Tears started building in her eyes. The moon illuminated her face, and she looked beautiful. I grabbed her waist, pulling her flush against me. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop myself.

She wrapped her arms around me. "I don't want to sleep in my clothes," she mumbled. I chuckled softly. She threw her cardigan on the floor, and she turned around. She undid her jeans, and they fell at her feet. Her long legs were ghost white in the moons reflection, her creamy skin resembling it. She slipped into her bed without another word. I removed my boots quietly, and laid above the covers.

Her eyes roamed over my face, taking in every detail, it seemed. "I'm cold," she said. I saw the goosebumps on her arms, and I had a feeling I knew why she had said so. I slid under the covers. And she automatically glued her body to me. She closed her eyes and drifted off. I followed along, comforted by our embrace.

 **~FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED~**

 _ **Before anyone questions Clary:**_ She is a young girl, she's bullied, her mother is not here to help, and she's tired. She has the right to cry her eyeballs out, I know I would. Jace has simply been there during her childhood, so of course she will seek safety in his arms. She has the right to want him to stay the night, as it might also help her sleep. She is not weak or frail, she is simply not in the right place.

Thank you for reading, once again! Support is always appreciated! Until next time!

 _Drop me a review?_


	12. Expect the Unexpected

**Chapter 12:**

 _Expect the Unexpected_

The woman walked along the empty street, pulling her knee-length trench coat around her tightly to hide herself from the breeze's icy fingers. Her heels clicking against the pavement and the soft purring of machines were the only noises occupying the road. The rare car would fly past her, its headlights only illuminating her for a second. The buildings she passed were quiet, apart from the sparse small windows filled with dim light.

Footsteps suddenly started to follow her. On instinct, she quickened her pace, her work duffel bag swinging with every quick stride. She hurried down the sidewalk, but the person matched her movements. Anxiously trying to find a way out, she slid into an empty dark alley. It was hidden from the main road's streetlights, and a simple, rusty lamp hung aimlessly upon an old fire escape. The shoe noise stopped. She moved flush against the big dumpster, her back against the cold surface. She held her breath.

A minute or two passed without a sound, and she took it as a sign that the coast was clear.

As she let out a deep breath and turned to walk back, a gloved hand was clamped against her mouth. She squirmed under their grip, and yelled, but the sound was muffled. She gave up, and the man let go, or at least that's who she thought it was.

"Move, or yell, and I'll pull the trigger on you," the low male voice said. He had a black baseball cap on, and his face was hidden from the flickering lamp. She stood against the wall, her eyes wide with fear.

The man silently pulled out a photo. He held it in front of her. A girl with auburn, or crimson, hair was chattering with a tall blonde boy, and they seemed to laugh. They were set in a green lawn, and they both leaned against what seemed to be the trunk of a willow tree. He had a look of adoration in his eyes as he looked at the redhead.

A flash of familiarity passed in the older woman's eyes. The man moved the photo closer, pointing at the blonde boy with his index finger.

"Who is this boy?" He said, practically growling. The woman shook her head. The man pushed her harder against the alley wall. "Tell me who he is."

"I-I don't remember," she stammered, trying to pin the boy down.

"Tell me, now, or I'll hurt your daughter." The threat sent chills down her back, and her face noticeably paled under the dim light.

"No," she breathed. He slammed her against the brick wall again, clearly disappointed by her answer. His grip on the photo of the kids tightened, and it wrinkled.

"I really don't want to do this. It's your choice. Why don't I just ask your daughter, then?" The woman frantically shook her head, her dark red curls bouncing.

"Okay. It'll be that way." He drew out a small glass vial, turning the metal cap slowly. He grabbed her chin and tilted her head back. He poured it into her mouth, the blurry liquid sliding down her throat. She squirmed, but he put a hand on her mouth to stop her from spitting it out. He watched her swallow against her will, and he held her head between his hands.

Her eyelids slowly started to droop, and her body weakened. Her legs wobbled under her. He looked her straight in the eye.

"You were walking home from work, and you heard a noise in this alley. Deciding to check it out, you slipped, and hit your head against the wall. You don't remember anything else after that."

He grabbed her head and knocked it against the brick wall. He backed up as her eyes started to roll to the back of her head. Her body fell limp onto the concrete ground as he walked away. He slipped into the darkness and was gone.

.w.W.w.

The soft hum of something next to me brought me awake. My eyelids fluttered open. I opened my eyes more.

Jace, a shirtless Jace. His tanned arm reached out, pulling my frail body closer to his. Memories from last night came rushing back. The sobbing, his warm hug, and his body against mine during the night. Against my will, I moved closer to him.

His body was hot against my skin, sending off warm waves. His gold skin moved with every breath, and I couldn't help but just feel safe in his tight hug. His gold hair was disheveled, but in all its glory, glowing under the sun's warm touch.

"You're staring," he muttered suddenly. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing barely awake gold embers. His eyes, softer than they were years ago, were the color of pale yellow glass, catching rays of sunlight and shining.

"There you go again," he said, his voice low and husky. My hair must have been a mess, and I ran my hand through my locks in hope to fix it a bit.

"I'm not staring."

"Right," he responded, sliding his arm under his head, making it flex. But he knew that. "You're admiring."

I turned, facing the other way. I groaned at his arrogance.

"You're so full of yourself," I mumbled, pulling the covers over my head. The heat comforted me, and I felt hands grab my waist. I yelped, but was pulled against something before I could protest.

"Ha, you're mine now." His grip was pleasantly tight against me, and despite my squirming, he didn't let go.

"Do your parents know you're here?" I asked. He stiffened around me.

"Mhm." I knew it was a touchy subject by the way he responded. His jeans rubbed against my bare legs, and his breath tickled my neck. "Does your mom know I'm here?"

"I don't think she cares right now." My simple answer seemed to give away my discomfort, and he pulled me closer. "Thank you," I said quietly.

"For what?" He asked softly.

"For last night. Being there for me. It really means a lot."

Silence. "Anytime," he said. I turned to face him again. Our gazes met, and his Los parted the slightest bit as if he wanted to say something. They closed and he looked away.

"Jace," I started. His eyes looked back at. "I don't feel like going to school today." His face stayed neutral.

"Okay, Berry." A small smile spread out on his face.

"Come on. Let's get dressed." He sat up, his abs rippling with his every movement. He extended out his hand, and I took it. He hoisted me up, and slung me over his strong shoulder.

He moved to my dresser, opening drawers with his hand. I punched his back and slammed my fists against it, but he didn't concede.

He opened all of the drawers, until I heard him open the small undergarment one. I squirmed, kicking my legs all over.

He turned, holding up one of my sexy, thin underwear in his hands. He moved it around in front of me.

"How does this even work, Thorn? It's like a jungle thong." He grabbed the black lace cheekie draped over the side. "Definitely in the yes pile," he said, with a smirk. He put me down, and I smacked his hands away from my clothes.

"Pervert," I said, pushing his chest away. He sighed.

"Just get ready," he called, walking over to his things. "Tiger," he added with a 'rawr', standing in a model position with his hand on his hip. I groaned in exasperation, and he chuckled.

He simply went and opened his gym bag, and I moved inside my walk-in closet. I slipped on a simple pair of light blue ripped overalls, cupping them around the ankles. I wore a peach tee underneath it, and a pair of white Converse on my feet. I put my hair in two French braids, and they fell down my back.

Jace's eyes scanned me as a I stepped out, and I did the same to him.

He had brought his gym bag in from his car, changing into a loose black wife beater, jeans ripped at the knees and black motorcycle boots.

We were like Mr. Bad Boy and Mrs. Goody-Two-Shoes.

"Eh. It'll pass," he commented, faking a lazy tone.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed. We bickered all the way to his pick-up. Once we were seated inside, we discussed the day's plan.

"What if we each do something we like? I have an idea." He gave me a smirk full of mischief and danger.

"Alright," I said. "You first." I secretly was excited for whatever he had in mind. It can't be too bad if there's Jace, right?"

"Mhm."

.w.W.w.

He parked along the side of the main road, and climbed out to open the door for me. We walked along the sidewalk silently. He stopped, and we slid into a shady store. It looked like a convenience store, but the smell of weed was very apparent. Jace gave his famous head jerk to the cashier, and he nodded in response. He led me down a dim staircase.

We arrived in a small room, where long leather seats were set up. Drafts of drawings were hung up along the walls. Towards the last few seats, a man sat in one, and a woman was inspecting his arm, with a long pen-like object.

I turned to Jace angrily.

"You did not bring me to a tattoo parlor," I hissed. He just smirked. My mother would have gone berserk if she was here. Breaking the news to her would be no easy job. I was planning on hiding it anyways.

A lean man came in front of us. His arms were covered in all kinds of tattoo designs, from skulls to roses. His ears had a more then legal amount of piercings.

"You gonna do it 'ya-self or do ya want me to get someone?" He asked, his voice laced with a heavy accent, Russian, I presumed, from the sound of it.

"I got it," Jace responded coolly. The man nodded and Jace brought me to one of the leather chairs. I was stressed, but still partially excited.

"Do you do yours?" I asked, referring to his tattoos.

"Sometimes," he answered, and shrugged. I had noticed intricate designs all along his arms and back, but he had mentioned nothing about them.

"What do you want done?"

"Um... Any recommendations?" I asked shyly. Jace chuckled.

"Want a surprise one?" I trusted Jace, more then I should. Without thinking, I nodded. "Where do you want it?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I shoved him gently, saying, "Ew." He laughed darkly at my discomfort.

"Shoulder? Neck? Hip?" He asked seriously. He prepared the needle, dipping it in ink.

"Which is less visible?"

He put a hand to his heart. "Already scared of what I have in mind? I'm hurt." His face went back to serious. "I think hip."

"Okay," I said. "I'll have it there, then." Surprise danced upon his face. "What?" He shook his head, and I unbuckled my left overall strap. I pulled my shirt up a bit, and I saw his eyes widen at my movement. He swallowed, grabbing the needle.

"This is gonna hurt. Tell me if gets too painful, and we can stop. Are you sure about this?" His eyes were full of worry and hesitance. I nodded, and after a pause, I felt scorching pain at my side. I slightly jerked, and Jace backed up. Once I composed myself, it came back again, but softer.

He continued for at least an hour and a half before he was finished. He had a small smile on his face, and I took it as a good sign. He stood up, and helped me up. He smirked.

"Looks like I popped your tattoo cherry."

"You never stop, do you?" I sat up, and he pulled the shirt down quickly.

"Don't look now," he said, explaining himself. "It'll ruin the surprise. But if it starts to sting, tell me, alright?" I nodded, excited to see he what he had drawn. "It'll hurt for s while, so do you want to go back to your place and relax?"

I figured, him, as a tattoo expert in my eyes, would know what would happen. I agreed.

We pulled into my driveway in record time, and we settled on to the couch. "Can I look now?" I pleaded. He shook his head, like he had done the last five times. I pulled down my overall straps to be more comfortable. I brought out chips and salsa, and we started up our gaming consoles on the TV.

I made my way to the kitchen and moved to the cabinet. Cursing my height, I stood on my toes as I reached up for the snacks. The shirt rode up. Staring at what have been exposed, I stomped into the living room. Jace was sitting on the rug, his back against the couch, scrolling through game levels. His head turned at my racket.

"You tattooed a _strawberry_ on my hip?" I hollered. Shock was written all over his face. Hurt started to spark in his eyes.

"I told you not to look!" He protested. He stood up, and his shoulders slumped. He slid his hands into his pockets and looked at the ground. "If you don't like it, we can get it removed," he mumbled.

The tattoo was about an inch tall and wide, and it was a chubby strawberry, the cute kind. Everything was contoured in thin black line. The top was dark green and the inside red, and it looked great against my pale skin. Pinkish skin surrounded it, from irritation.

"It's really cool," I said. His eyes looked up suddenly, joy glazing them. A huge goofy smile spread on his face.

"Thanks, Berry. Now, c'mere. I'm gonna kick your ass."

 **~FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED~**

Hey, guys! So I dropped by to give you all a little something since I haven't updated in so long. An update on the Assassin and the Maid is coming later as well!

Love you all :)

 _Drop me a review?_


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